Anzu stepped out of the car and closed the door with a shaking hand, trying not to feel too anxious about asking a monster-murderer for help.

She turned to glance up at the towering rooftops of the Kaiba Mansion, suppressing a shudder.

Back here. Again.

It hadn't been that long ago since she'd been receiving medical care on Kaiba's first-floor lounge, and it felt like she was back too soon.

4 months was way too soon to see Yami's face again after she'd had sleepless nights thinking she could avoid him forever.

But she felt backed into a corner, with pressure behind her from the department to perform at an even higher standard than when she'd put human trafficker and arms dealer Strings away in a cell.

Strings, who had fallen right into her lap with the help of Yami's intel, so here she was, being shameless and disgusting, here to ask for his help. Again.

That arrest had made international news for weeks, and Anzu knew she couldn't top another event like that by herself.

It was horrible thatthat arrest was the highlight of her career.

No. She wouldn't let that happen.

She'd worked too hard for her elite agent status.

Yami hadn't answered the phone he'd given her.

Maybe it was dumb of her to expect the assassin to pick up?

But then again, this had been the first time she'd called him.

Repeatedly, and kind of desperately.

She didn't dare leave a message or text of any kind.

So she was here, in person.

Maybe this is what he wants, Anzu thought darkly to herself as she bowed automatically to the manservant who came walking down the white stone steps to greet her and usher her inside with a stiff, polite arm.

"Miss Mazaki, welcome back," Isono lowered his head stiffly, itching in his skin as he gave her a quick glance from head to toe, noticing the agent openly carrying the gun on her belt, tastefully hidden by the hem of her sharp, dark red blazer.

"Atem. Is he here?" She asked, crossing her arms guiltily.

"Don't know anyone by that name," Isono answered fluidly, and that was the truth.

Master Yami had never introduced himself to others by another name and had not instructed he be addressed by a new name. Even Master Kaiba did not address Yami by another name, so he had no reason to react to this request.

"Still doing that, huh?" Anzu said dryly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "Please take me to him or contact him somehow. It's an emergency."
A personal emergency, not a national one—yet.

Isono merely blinked at her and shook his head. This woman was department chief of the national police, which meant there could be severe legal ramifications if he didn't abide by his script.

"Fine. Yami. May I speak to Yami?" Anzu asked with an exasperated head shake.

Isono nodded formally and strode past her to lead her through the house, deciding not to answer. After this woman visited them a few months ago, Master Kaiba had re-briefed the entire house on how to act when police arrived.

Say nothing, admit to nothing.

And if detained for any reason, lawyer up immediately, even if it was for a traffic ticket.

Isono tried not to let his irritation show on his face.

His hands had briefly been dirtied by moving the corpses Yami had murdered in the library, and the liquid remains were long gone—not even a memory until this woman showed up to remind him—so his caution had to be extreme.

Anzu bit the inside of her cheek, understanding the silence meant the need for secrecy. She noticed the cameras mounted discreetly into the corners of sleek furniture, coupled with the tell-tale antennae of a signal jammer, decked out in gold chrome.

Nice.

A real criminal lair's touch, coated with the cool icing of 'tech mogul', so the signal jammer could be explained away.

Seto Kaiba was the best, most legitimate and professional cover Atem could do for himself, and Anzu tried not to feel a twinge of respect for the assassin.

What a way to be untouchable….

Her shoes sank into soft grass in the outside garden, and she immediately spotted a spiky-haired figure bent over a neat pile of dirt by the fence, and her heart leapt into her throat.

Perfect timing! She'd come just as he was burying a body!

Right in Kaiba's back yard. Very nice.

Yami leaned on his shovel and patted his brow, enjoying the warm spring sun against his shoulders while he paused to take a breath. He heard soft footsteps approaching and decided not to react. Isono had alerted him that Anzu was here. And Anzu had called him five times in a row, yesterday. He'd watched it ring through all five times and then took the sim card out.

If she wanted something, she could come ask him to his face. Weren't they friends at least a little? He didn't want her treating him like he was another yakuza contact.

Kaiba was right to disapprove of the phone contact. He should've listened.

Anzu planted her feet apart and stared at the shallow hole Yami had been digging, eyeing the small tree sapling still in its mesh sack leaning against the fence, and her eyelid twitched.

"Hey. You didn't pick up the phone," she said testily, not going for manners, because someone with a murder count that could build an undead army wasn't someone she wanted to hang around and be nice to for more than 5 minutes.

"What phone?" Yami didn't turn around to answer and picked up the shovel to continue scraping dirt out of the hole.

Kaiba's instructions were: admit to nothing, do nothing, say nothing, and the lawyer up if police so much as blinked in his direction. Especially since Anzu Mazaki was a policewoman who had received international attention and an impressive promotion.

Great. Anzu growled to herself and let out a furious sigh. Her heart jumped into her throat as she replied, "the one you gave me and said, 'call if you need anything'? Don't fuck around with me, Atem."

Yami tensed and gripped the shovel so hard, his tanned knuckles turned white around the handle, and Isono noticed this and took a few steps back, making himself scarce.

Anzu noticed this too and broke out into a cold sweat.

Holy shit, did she make him mad by calling him Atem?

"If this is how you ask for favors from a retired individual, you're at the wrong house," Yami said quietly, lowering his chin to his chest as he listened to his heart thundering in his ears.

He wasn't about playing both sides unless he benefited more.

He'd given her Strings so she would leave him and Kaiba alone.

That had been a good trade. Kaiba had agreed.

Maybe that had even been too good of a trade.

"Well, I'm not asking for a favor," ugh caught. Anzu's ears burned with humiliation as she felt the sun also burning her back, making her heat up in her formal attire while Yami was dressed casually in a light blue t-shirt with a KC logo in the front pocket. How nice for him…

So then why is she here? Yami thought dryly as he smiled to himself, setting the shovel aside and deciding to humor her briefly, one last time. Only because she was a mild threat to him and his happiness with Kaiba.

"Oh, then you're here to catch a relaxing day off with me," Yami said with a teasing nod, tilting his head to wink handsomely at her. "I'm going to wash up."

And he left all the tools there while he walked past her and headed into the house, first to alert Kaiba that his least-favorite cop was back, and to call in their spa treatment team, to keep her distracted.

Brought this onto myself, Yami thought darkly as he passed Isono who was standing dutifully at attention by the curved wall beside the TV, so he didn't hesitate to give the man an order.

"Get me my phone, contact Kaiba. Update him on her arrival and if there's any staff available to run the spa, send them upstairs, then make sure the fifth floor is a dead zone."

Understood, Isono bowed stiffly and hurried off to comply, hearing Yami's deep voice echoing through the house behind him, "…Please come this way. 5thfloor, we have some massage tables set up."

Anzu swallowed thinly and politely declined. Yikes, no thanks?

Her feet took her up a luxurious curved staircase, and Yami's spiky hair hovered in front of her. The man was barely as tall as her. He was so slim, almost built like a highschooler.

In fact, while she wore heels, she could see over the tops of his hair.

They arrived on a spacious floor where real plants were sticking out of a feature wall from a cascading waterfall draping down from the ceiling, and Anzu could only gape.

"Sit, we're being pampered," Yami said with a light shrug. "But I need a shower because I'm covered in dirt. Wait here please."

And he hurried away to the bathroom, running right into Isono who quietly and breathlessly palmed him his phone and then dashed past him to make her comfortable.

Yami grimaced and stepped into the bathroom while checking his phone, seeing angry texts from Kaiba beaming across his screen.

"HI. WTF IS SHE DOING IN OUR HOME?!"

"ANSWER?! Do I need to send lawyers a, b, and c? Is she there to arr**st you?"

"Taking a shower to look presentable," Yami muttered as he typed it out. "I'll get an answer out of her. Please don't worry. I know you're not used to me taking work meetings at home. Try not to let this ruin your day."

He set the phone aside and hastily stepped under the rush of water to wash away the dirt and sweat from the garden, hearing succinct vibrations as Kaiba spammed him heatedly.

"Holy F. its not that it's a work meeting! ? R U SHTTING ME"

"She."

"Is."

"A."

"famous, thanks to you"

"NATIONAL SECURITY COP"

"…IN MY-OUR- HOME!"

"Get rid of her or im coming home with an army of not just lawyers."

"I prefer your bike yakuza friend to her! ! !"

"?! ANSWER OR IM COMING HOME NOW"

Yami huffed and stepped out of the shower with a towel pressed to his damp hair, sighing.

Yes, yes.

"Ok. Love you. Stay at work, don't worry." He replied simply, knowing this would set Kaiba off even more, but he couldn't help it.

He wrapped a bathrobe around himself and shoved his feet into the fluffy slippers Isono had left for him at the bevel of the bathroom stairs, hurrying out into the main lounge to see two pedicurists had set up their stations by the couch were Anzu was sitting, and she was eyeing them with supreme suspicion.

They were two little old ladies, but she was still eyeing them like they were criminals.

Anzu swallowed her fear as she noticed Yami appear in a bathrobe, acting …too much like a villain. Could he put on some clothes?! Or was that bathrobe attire for show, letting her know there was no way he could be armed underneath?!

"Isono," Yami called lightly, and the manservant came bowing forward in a rush. "Get her a matching robe too. We're having a spa day."

Anzu clenched her fingers around her knee and blinked rapidly. Uh…no?!

It was the middle of a workday, and she was expected back after this lunch break?!

Not everyone had the privilege to lounge around in the lap of Seto Kaiba's luxury.

The manservant returned with a neatly folded bundle of towels, a robe, and clean slippers in a clear plastic, and Anzu merely stared at it. S-Seriously?!

"Please get comfortable. And you can leave your weapons on the bathroom counter. You can be rest assured no one will tamper with your service weapon," Yami said with a light smile, sitting down on the couch and feeling his phone buzzing again. "I'll wait."

Anzu ground her teeth furiously, understanding that no talking would happen unless they were both practically naked. This was Atem's clever way of making sure she wouldn't shoot him in the middle of their conversation.

I walked right into this one, Anzu thought as she swept the bundle of towels out of Isono's hands and marched through the spacious floor, not really knowing where to go but following the hallway Yami had disappeared through earlier.

Satisfied, Yami nodded at Isono, whispering, "Stand by at the stairs. Bring guards from the red team to stay beside you." Then he aimed his gaze at the two pedicurists who were perched calmly on their stools, wearing matching, dusky-pink aprons, blinking expectantly at him with their wrinkled hands folded in their laps.

"Uniform check," he said shortly, and they bowed forward, the old woman on the left answering him first.

"I am armed. Upper left leg."

The old woman on the right straightened up out of the bow with a gleam in her eye, repeating the same statement. "I am armed. Upper right leg."

Yami looked thoughtful for a moment and made them switch positions. He was a quicker draw with his left hand in an emergency.

They got up dutifully to move their carts around just as Anzu strode out of the bathroom, her cheeks pink and looking refreshed with a towel draped protectively over her shoulders, and another towel wrapped protectively around her waist.

Yami grimaced and shook his head.

"Please don't bring weapons to our spa day," he said with a steely glare at the way the towel was folded down thickly over her hip to hide the butt of a gun.

What a cute, but obvious attempt.

Anzu swallowed thinly and bared her teeth, hissing, "I'm still on the clock and I'm not dumb enough to leave my weapon unattended…here."

Yami sighed.

Damn, he figured as much.

"Then…" Yami beckoned for Isono, and the manservant came dashing forward again with an empty silver tray. "Place it there. And put it somewhere I can't see it, because I'm really stressed already."

Truth. He was ignoring Kaiba's texts and might deal with an upset boyfriend until past dinner.

Anzu huffed and hesitated before she dutifully unrolled the lower towel and gently set her gun on the waiting tray, walking over to cautiously sit on the couch cushion beside Yami and placing it beside her, then dragging a flat, decorative pillow over it. There.

"Thank you," Yami said silkily, leaning back into the couch to gently prop his foot into the waiting basin, not relaxed at all but hoping his acting was convincing enough.

He closed his eyes and feigned sleepiness.

If he made Anzu feel at ease enough, she would speak freely. Putting her in the robe was the only way he could disarm her without patting her down.

Anzu stiffened when one of the old ladies reached for her calf, and she glanced over at Atem, noticing him sinking into the cushions so much, his face was barely visible while his pedicurist sat idly by, humming happily to herself while his feet soaked, so Anzu relented and let the old woman put her feet into the hot basin, trying not to breathe, but she could feel her body relaxing reluctantly when her aching heels thanked her for the relief.

They sat together in silence, with the water bubbling merrily while the ladies added herbs and salt into it steadily while enjoying the sunshine that streamed in from the towering windows behind them.

Fine, its kind of nice, Anzu growled to herself, freezing again when a gloved hand came for her calf and a scented oil and lathered into her skin, making her tense but relax at the same time.

G-God this was agonizing.

Atem was really going to make her go through this entire pedicure and not speak to her through all of it, waiting for her to admit it.

Damn. It.

Fine, then a thank you was in order.

"Thanks," Anzu said quietly, her voice barely audible over the rush of bubbling water, and Yami didn't even lift his head.

"You are welcome…anytime," Yami replied cheerfully, daring to relax into the hot water swirling around his ankles. He would repeat himself like a broken record.

Just in case she was recording anything.

Anzu's cheeks burned, and she didn't even feel the gentle hands massaging the soreness at her heels while she gripped the hem of her bathrobe, struggling to find the words.

Just say it. He's unarmed, Anzu let her breath out in a huff and asked in a rush, "…Are you free on the 17th? Looks like you might be."

"For another spa day? Yes of course," Yami replied fluidly, his stomach clenching as he wondered if the head of their country's terroism task force was asking him to kill someone.

That's how all his work conversations started.

"Are you free to…" kill someone.

Find someone and then kill them.

On and on.

"Can you join my security detail for one night? You'll be unlisted, but I want you there," Anzu said stiffly, glaring at her knees while the pedicurist continued to massage her calves nicely, but she couldn't enjoy it.

"I'm retired." Yami replied shortly, and Anzu's heart sank as she realized that meant 'no'.

"I'll pay you…?" She offered hopefully, already knowing this was a shit offer.

"I have enough money. Thank you," came the polite answer.

Crap.

Fine.

Maybe it was time to divulge a little bit of classified information to get him interested.

"This concerns the Prime Minister," Anzu said quietly, her leg spasming with a bit of pain when the old lady's thumbs dug into a tight point in her calf. "Ow."

"Chi blockage, dear girl. Or your high heeled shoes are too high," the old lady chirped, and Yami bit the inside of his cheek with a smile.

"I'm a civilian," Yami answered cleverly, and Anzu rolled her eyes furiously.

"I'm not saying make an attempt on his life! Just need you at the event as extra eyes, okay?" Anzu said heatedly, hating how her stomach tightened with a strange feeling as she admitted it aloud again. "Please? I'll owe you a favor."

"I don't want to start that tab up again," Yami answered plainly, snuggling deeper into the cushions while his pedicurist began drying his feet with a puffy towel and then wrapped heated pads around his entire foot.

If Anzu owed him a favor, he would want to cash it in. Then he'd owe her a thanks.

Then she'd owe him.

Then he'd owe her again.

Back and for forever until one of them died.

Kaiba would kill him for indebting himself willingly to a cop.

"The Prime Minister concerns all civilians," Anzu shot back, playing along with Yami's code speak. "Even ones in retirement. Maybe especially ones in retirement."

"Why?" Yami replied with equal ferocity, and Anzu felt the pads of her toes sting pleasantly when the old lady wrapped hot rocks underneath her sensitive arches while Yami added, "part of the word 'retirement' is 'tired'. That's what I am. I'm out of shape and in no condition to provide a service the National Security Police can deliver."

"You're not even thirty yet," Anzu growled, and Yami shot back with equal hostility in his voice.

"Don't have to be a certain age to be tired anddone. You don't need me."

Anzu swallowed her frustration and felt the old lady unwrapping her feet, giving her a glimpse of her toes looking pink and healthy again, so she wiggled them, trying to feel relaxed but there was a thin layer of sweat sticking the bathrobe to her back. Ugh.

She needed to gain his trust. More secrets ought to do it.

"An individual named Marik is rumored to be organizing a hit team and might show up at this event," Anzu admitted, hating how her cheeks flushed again as she gave the tiny camera mounted to the corners of feature wall a furtive glance. "Have you heard of him?"

And Yami's knees tensing was the answer she needed, but what came out of his mouth was a nonchalant, "Not this retiree's problem. He sounds like your problem."

If Anzu was secretly asking him to hit Marik Ishtar, that would be a surprising ask, since she was so straight and narrow.

Also he'd promised Kaiba no more murdering, especially after the Joker Pair.

Kaiba made him swear to gun sobriety too. For Mokuba's sake.

So as of late, he hadn't touched a gun in a few months. Not even a toy gun.

"He's society's problem," Anzu whispered, hearing the pedicurist's cart clink, and a row of polishes were offered up to her, but she ignored it. "How can you just sit there…and pretend like nothing's wrong?! This guy is a threat to the country you live in…peacefully!"

"Please. You're capable and you've got it handled," Yami said with a casual wave, pointing at the clear bottle of lacquer and seeing the old lady nod and reach for it. "What color are you doing?"

"Red. For blood," Anzu replied coldly, and the old lady reached into the row of polishes to select a dark, luscious red. "Fine. Maybe Marik's not after the most VIP, but there will be other VIPs at this event. I need you there. As Yami. I'll get you an invite. I'll give you access to the entire building. You can have a direct, secure line to my earpiece."

"Respectfully decline," Yami said coolly, pointing at the same red bottle on the pedicurist's cart. "I'll do the same red as her's. It looks nice."

Wow, Anzu was really begging.

Should he be alarmed?

Anzu grit her teeth and heard her ears hum. Psychopath.

She'd offered money, favors, name-dropped, and even cited that this would have real-world effects, and still, he sat there, unfazed, unbothered, only having a tiny reaction to the name 'Marik', meaning he knew what a monster that man was and maybe that was enough.

Message delivered.

She could come beg him again, closer to the day.

"Fine. Got it. Not your problem, Mr. Tired," Anzu said stiffly, trying not to move as the scent of polish stung her nose. The old lady was bent forward over her legs, diligently painting each toe a brilliant red.

Perfect.

She'd remember this awful meeting every time she looked down at her bare feet.

There was a brief silence.

"Pedicure days are Thursday afternoons," Yami replied without even looking at her. "Address me by the wrong name again and we won't have future pedicure days."

Oh. My .God. Anzu set her jaw and hissed through her teeth, "Got it. Yami."

Now she wanted nothing more than to leave, but the lacquer was still drying. Damn it.

Somewhere in the distance, a door slammed, and Yami's fists clenched over the hem of his bathrobe. Damn it.

There was an echoing shuffle, and Seto Kaiba's tall silhouette came striding up the curved staircase, and he nearly dropped his briefcase at the odd sight before him.

Yami and the annoying cop were wrapped up in comfy bathrobes with the two ex-yakuza grandmas painting their toes like it was a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

What.

The Fuck.

"Welcome home," Yami replied with a casual wave, and Kaiba shook his head incredulously, making eye contact with Anzu and seeing her tense so much, her knee jerked, and the old lady had to shush her with a fierce nudge.

"Oh good, maybe you'll hear me out, Seto Kaiba," Anzu said with a sharp glare at Yami, deciding to test their dynamic. "I'm about to tell you something classified, ready?"

Kaiba clapped one hand to his ear and turned on his heel, leaping back down the stairs to take the elevator up to his room instead. Nope. No.

Fuck this.

He'd walked in on Yami's 'work meeting' and he'd come home early from work to hopefully get rid of her. Fucking nope.

Yami looked like he had it handled and had told her 'no', so she was trying to convince him of…whatever it was.

NOPE. Not helping a cop in his own home.

"Excuse m—HEY! COWARD!" Anzu cried, seeing the head of the CEO vanishing down the long staircase, and her heart sank for real. These two were really heartless!

"Really?! You guys act like you're guilty!" Anzu gave Yami a reproachful look, and Yami let out a deep laugh, sitting up slightly to peek at her over the large cushion.

"We don't want to be guilty by hearing you say anything," Yami explained with a triumphant smirk. "It's Relaxing Day. We don't want to hear about your work. Talk about something else instead. A boyfriend, maybe?"

Anzu made a face at him and tried not to laugh, but one climbed its way out her throat, making her huff through the nose before she leaned back and turned her head to the side. Annoying.

The old lady left her toes to dry on the pedicure foam, and they both bowed respectfully before packing up their carts and wheeling them away, leaving them sitting together in tepid silence.

"Well, if you change your mind, the date is the 17th, and the location is the Domino Metropolitan Hotel. Okay?" Anzu said hopefully, wondering if she should leave her card with him, but knew that he would find a way to contact her no matter the encryption status on her work or personal phone.

17th. That's three weeks from now. She knows it's enough time for me to scout the area to prep if I really cared. How considerate, Yami thought dryly as he closed his eyes and laced his hands behind his head.

The answer was still no.

Marik Ishtar and his band of 'rare hunters' were not to be fucked with.

They were highly organized, violent criminals, methodically headhunting rare VIPs all over the world and putting them in the ground.

Their organization name was crass, but apt.

He'd been pressured to join them at one point in his career.

Declining their offer had involved violence he wanted to forget.

I'm only one person. With a family. And a kid. So, no, Yami thought sourly as he watched Anzu bend forward to check the dryness of her polish before she slowly reached for her shoes and socks to put them on, as if waiting for him to say something.

Fine.

He owed her an explanation at least.

And thank her for coming here to warn him about Marik's arrival in this country.

"I know why you're scared and it's good that you are," Yami said with a nod, seeing her ears turning dark red with every word he spoke. "But I have full faith in you and your team. I'm useless to you, as you can see. And I promised Mokuba I wouldn't work anymore."

There. Hopefully she would understand that.

"Touching, but don't you think this holds precedence over your 'no work' oath? It's not even real work," Anzu offered hopefully, and tried the money angle again, knowing it was pointless. "I'll pay." As a polite gesture.

With government money, come on!

Atem didn't want it?!

A paragraph in his psych profile said he took great pleasure in receiving offers like these!

Yami gave her a tired sigh.

"Any work is real work," Yami answered firmly. "I don't know how to work with a half-assed attitude. If I go to work, I'm dedicated. So, I'm dedicated to being undedicated."

Poetic, for a monster, Anzu thought dryly as she slipped her shoes on and stood up with a regretful head nod.

"Understood. Thanks for the spa day. I'll come back next week to relax with you again," Anzu said with a sniff, leaving her service weapon on the couch beside Yami as a show of giant trust while she made her way back to the bathroom to get dressed.

Yami stared at the gun, and turned his head to the side, his heart thudding in his throat.

He'd seen a gun and the urge to pick it up to feel the weight in his hand was strong.

Damn it. Kaiba's gun sobriety on him had been broken.

Well, not yet.

He hadn't touched it yet.

And he kept thinking about wanting to touch it…

Don't look at it. Go on with your daily normal life, Yami told himself as he folded his hands in his lap and closed his eyes, wiggling his toes to enjoy the light feeling.

He heard Anzu coming back, and he didn't open his eyes to acknowledge her. She picked up her weapon, paused to stare at him, and then walked away steadily, her voice echoing from downstairs as Isono bowed her out the door.

"Thank you, Miss Mazaki…"

"No. Thank you. I've intruded. I'll be here again next week. Tell him that, won't you?"

"Yes, miss."

Ugh, Yami rolled his eyes under his eyelids and was about to get up when he heard the elevator doors slide open, so he stayed right where he was, hearing Kaiba's telltale footsteps approaching behind him, and cool hands palmed the sides of his face, giving his cheeks a comical squeeze while the scent of coffee washed over him nicely as Kaiba leaned over his face to growl at him.

"Hey. Stop inviting dangerous famous people over for spa days."

"She came over unannounced," Yami replied, knowing he'd received a warning from her repeated calls on the phone Kaiba told him not to give her.

"Yeah, well have her announce herself next time," Kaiba answered angrily, dipping down to land a playful bite to Yami's exposed collarbone before circling the couch in a few long strides to sink into the spot beside his spiky-haired partner, eyeing the curve of his jaw hungrily. "I'm home early. Want to do something?"

"Yes." Yami's eyes opened in a flash, and he gave Kaiba a pretty smile. "Let's visit the Scandinavian mountains to relive our first vacation. Mokuba can come this time. And your manservant. Everyone should come." So they could all be safely out of the country when Marik and his team of rare hunters descended to bring blood rain.

He's romantic, Kaiba thought to himself, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, and he nodded, resting his hand atop Yami's much smaller one.

"Sure. We can leave after the 18th. I'll take the week off afterwards," he said simply, leaning forward to place a kiss on Yami's sharp jaw, his heart clenching with arousal and then disappointment when Yami's hand came up to stop him.

"Why? We should leave tomorrow—or now," Yami's breath hitched as he kept Kaiba's face at bay by placing his palm on his chin, keeping him from kissing him, hating how his stomach was curling with a horrible, familiar feeling. Dread.

"I have an annoying work thing on the 17th," Kaiba said with a frown, reaching up to swat Yami's hand away. "Mandatory. My entire board is going to be there too. It's a rub-elbows event with elites. Mokuba and I both have to be there as heads of the Kaiba Corporation family and…."

Yami's ears hummed, and he couldn't hear anything through the thundering of his heart anymore.

He stared into Kaiba's clear blue eyes, feeling like he was falling…into a dark pit at the bottom of his own shame and guilt for turning Anzu away without even asking about the guest list.

Warm lips grazed the bridge of his nose, and Yami couldn't enjoy it. Even when Kaiba was leaning sensually into him to give him a slow, lavishing kiss, his body wouldn't relax. His mind was spinning with frantic images of building codes, secluded rooftops, followed by the sudden urge to go clean his long-range gun.

His heavenly bubble had been shattered….

Anzu's mention of Marik brought him sharply into the present, and now that Kaiba was going to attend the function, he couldn't avoid it anymore.

His past mistakes kept popping up to haunt him at the worst times.

He had to fix it somehow, to maintain a happiness equilibrium.

Author's note:

(and it continues)!